Where does “clericalism” come from?
Clericalism derives from English clerical plus the suffix -ism, from Ancient Greek -ισμός, Latin -alis, Ancient Greek κληρικός meaning of the clergy, from κλῆρος meaning lot or inheritance.
clericalism (English): political or secular power invested in members of...
Definitions
- political or secular power invested in members of...
Ancestry of “clericalism”, step by step
clericalism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French cléricalisme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | cléricalisme | clericalism |
| 2 | French | clérical | clerical |
| 3 | Latin | clēricālis | clerical, priestly |
| 4 | Latin | clēricus | a priest, clergyman or clergywoman, cleric |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κληρικός | of or pertaining to clergy; clerical; clergyman |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |
via English clerical
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clerical | Of or relating to clerks or their work; Of or... |
| 2 | Late Latin | clericalis | clerical; clerical, priestly |